A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Apple’s M1 Chip

The Atanasoff-Berry Computer

A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Apple’s M1 Chip

The Atanasoff-Berry Computer

Before understanding a system on a chip, let’s grasp this concept of a computer that was arguably founded by Charles Babbage who used finite differences to calculate mathematical problems with simple addition and subtraction called Difference Engine. Progressively, Charles Babbage applied computing multiplications and divisions named Analytical Engine on computers. In today’s age a comparison of CPU is similar to a unit that Analytical Engine calculates arithmetic issues and a Memory to a Punch Card that stores data.

 

Difference Engine

Science Museum Group Collection

 

The first computer was built specifically to fulfil complex accuracy in tasks for canon aims, tax collections and movement of stars.

Unlike in the past, each computer weighs 29 tones and takes 150 kilowatt to operate. Computers are now personal and facilitate day to day activities in competitive dimensions and specifications.

 

The Colossus at work at Bletchley Park

www.computerhistory.org

 

Since the beginning of Apple-1, the computer leaned on a single circuit board to PowerPC (Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance) to Intel chip to finally, Apple independence M1 architecture.

 

Apple’s M1 Chip

M1 architecture effectively fits 9 main power intensive processing units, such as: CPU, GPU, RAM , Neural Engine, Secure Enclave, SSD controller, Image Signal Processor, Encode/decode engines, Thunderbolt controller with USB 4 support, integrated within a tiny 5 nanometer process technology. In perspective a 1 cm is equivalent to a 10000000 nm.

 

Apple's M1 Chip

Apple’s M1 Chip

 

CPU: 8-core CPU with four high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores

GPU: 8-core GPUs capable of running close to 25,000 threads simultaneously and with 2.6 teraflops(TFLOP) of rate of processing.

RAM: 16GB max

Neural Engine: 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 11 trillion operations per second 

Secure Enclave: Prevents the main processor from accessing sensitive data directly as Apple includes their own drivers and services on the Apple system.

SSD controller: Control and secured in AES encryption hardware

Image signal processor(ISP): Provides high resolution video with vibrancies on auto white balances and noise reductions.

Encode/decode engines: High performance level that run on low power output

Thunderbolt controller with USB 4 support: Up to 40Gbps transfer speed , and compatibility with more computer peripheral devices

 

On the downside, no upgrades are allowed using external graphic cards and more RAM size due to ARM and DRAM respectively.

 

M1 chip Unified Memory Architecture Speed

M1 chip Unified Memory Architecture Speed

 

That said, M1 chip distinctively has 3x faster CPU, up to 6x faster graphics, and up to 15x faster machine learning, the highest performance with less overheating and power consumption as it optimizes machine learning (Neural Engine) , and a unified memory architecture that fetches all the data required in one little pool of memory with ARM based chip. A 16 billion transistor on M1 chip is all round success and from the existence of vacuum tubes used in first generation computers to what was achieved in a century or two.

 

In other tech news, subscribe or follow @Dishspace Instagram.

Tags:

Share this article :

Before understanding a system on a chip, let’s grasp this concept of a computer that was arguably founded by Charles Babbage who used finite differences to calculate mathematical problems with simple addition and subtraction called Difference Engine. Progressively, Charles Babbage applied computing multiplications and divisions named Analytical Engine on computers. In today’s age a comparison of CPU is similar to a unit that Analytical Engine calculates arithmetic issues and a Memory to a Punch Card that stores data.

 

Difference Engine

Science Museum Group Collection

 

The first computer was built specifically to fulfil complex accuracy in tasks for canon aims, tax collections and movement of stars.

Unlike in the past, each computer weighs 29 tones and takes 150 kilowatt to operate. Computers are now personal and facilitate day to day activities in competitive dimensions and specifications.

 

The Colossus at work at Bletchley Park

www.computerhistory.org

 

Since the beginning of Apple-1, the computer leaned on a single circuit board to PowerPC (Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance) to Intel chip to finally, Apple independence M1 architecture.

 

Apple’s M1 Chip

M1 architecture effectively fits 9 main power intensive processing units, such as: CPU, GPU, RAM , Neural Engine, Secure Enclave, SSD controller, Image Signal Processor, Encode/decode engines, Thunderbolt controller with USB 4 support, integrated within a tiny 5 nanometer process technology. In perspective a 1 cm is equivalent to a 10000000 nm.

 

Apple's M1 Chip

Apple’s M1 Chip

 

CPU: 8-core CPU with four high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores

GPU: 8-core GPUs capable of running close to 25,000 threads simultaneously and with 2.6 teraflops(TFLOP) of rate of processing.

RAM: 16GB max

Neural Engine: 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 11 trillion operations per second 

Secure Enclave: Prevents the main processor from accessing sensitive data directly as Apple includes their own drivers and services on the Apple system.

SSD controller: Control and secured in AES encryption hardware

Image signal processor(ISP): Provides high resolution video with vibrancies on auto white balances and noise reductions.

Encode/decode engines: High performance level that run on low power output

Thunderbolt controller with USB 4 support: Up to 40Gbps transfer speed , and compatibility with more computer peripheral devices

 

On the downside, no upgrades are allowed using external graphic cards and more RAM size due to ARM and DRAM respectively.

 

M1 chip Unified Memory Architecture Speed

M1 chip Unified Memory Architecture Speed

 

That said, M1 chip distinctively has 3x faster CPU, up to 6x faster graphics, and up to 15x faster machine learning, the highest performance with less overheating and power consumption as it optimizes machine learning (Neural Engine) , and a unified memory architecture that fetches all the data required in one little pool of memory with ARM based chip. A 16 billion transistor on M1 chip is all round success and from the existence of vacuum tubes used in first generation computers to what was achieved in a century or two.

 

In other tech news, subscribe or follow @Dishspace Instagram.

Tags:

Share this article :